September 8th, 2015

My 10 Favorite Things

1. Mexican Food- I love Mexican Food, it is number one on my favorite things because I really love it. I am not talking about just liking carne asada or some of the normal things. I love the authentic stuff you get in the middle of nowhere dirty “tripa” taco vendor. I’ll eat intestine, stomach, tongue, and eye taco’s. I enjoy menudo ( cow stomach stew). I love eating some fresh chicharron, with some salsa and tortilla. Mexican Food is 50% taste but it is 50% experience also, it’s who your with, and where you are that makes Mexican food, Mexican Food!

2. Lucha Libre Films- “Lucha Libre” films are one of my favorite things. Much like the fearless luchador, they know no genre. Horror, got it. Secret agent film, done and done. Romance, easy. They are unashamed and unafraid of taking on any tone and genre. I like these films because they all contain a moral, cinema in Mexico tends to stray from moral, but lucha libre films will always leave you with something learned that can be readily applied to life.

3. Being A Father- There are few things equally satisfying than watching your child learn, and grow. It is empowering to be their source for knowledge, protection and fun. I learn so much by trying to be the all powerful being my child sees me as. It has helped me relate to my parents more, and has drawn me closer to God.

4. Mr.Robot- This is a show on USA about a hacking group whose leader suffers from severe mental illness. It is a refreshingly intelligent and unashamed television show. It understands the rules of cinematography, and intelligently breaks the rules in a way that has an emotional effect on the viewer. It breaks the fourth wall in a way that brings the viewer into the protagonists mind, and makes them a participant in their revolution.

5. Narco Cinema- It is growing popularity, and has made it’s way into popular culture with new films and television shows exploring the culture of narcos. I prefer Mexico’s approach to it, making them in to parodies. Talking extensively about how narcos and Mexico’s news media are equally corrupt and often sleeping in the same bed. But the more serious approach such as Netflix's "Narcos" is equally as important.

6. Michael Richards- Michael Richard’s is most notable known for his role as Kramer on Seinfeld. He had a racial outburst that practically ended his career. He recently did an interview on Jerry Seinfeld’s new show “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee” where I felt a level of sincerity and personality that led me to believe that he has a lot more to offer to the world of cinema than he has thus far given. In re-watching him on Seinfeld this thought, and my fandom of him has only increased.

7. Being Married- I love being married. Not only do you get to have a companion that is with you through all of life’s trials. You no longer need to share an apartment with stinky dirty men who don’t clean anything. They eat your food. They don’t buy groceries. But being married makes life much better. It also provides it’s own unique set of opportunities to learn and grow. You become a better communicator through trial and error in marriage. Marriage is great.

8. Technology- I love technology, it changes every day. It changes the way we learn. It changes the way we communicate. It changes the way we bond. It changes the way we entertain. In an ever-changing world, technology is now the new constant and it is exciting. There is nothing quite like getting a new piece of technology, opening it up and figuring out how it will play in your life.

9. Driving Fast Cars- I like driving fast cars. It provides an adrenal release that is often necessary for me when I am under a lot of stress or frustration. It is important that you do so in controlled circumstances, and not like some lunatic on occupied roads with other drivers and pedestrians.

10. Blowing Stuff Up- This one is similar to driving fast cars. It provides an adrenal release. It empowers you. This may make me some kind of sociopath, but I am talking about blowing up pumpkins or old computers things like that. Never dangerous things that could cause anyone harm of any kind.

Un Amor Que Transciende

So the fireside chat, what an interesting concept. What a lot of fun! So when I read through the syllabus at the beginning of the semester I had no idea what to do with this whole 'fireside chat' thing. It was probably the assignment that loomed over my head the most. But surprisingly enough when the day came to brainstorm I knew full well what I wanted to do. I knew this because of two things:

1. The visiting scholar.
2. Dan Achtley "Next Exit"

Now I may be totally missing the mark here, but in the image that Ben posted to the 112 blog, it looked like everything on stage was something projected. I wanted to try this! When the visiting scholar came and showed all the clips about people interacting with projections it sealed the deal. I also new that I was at terrible at memorizing things, so I wanted to do a piece that I could interact with, but not talk. So I decided to make a silent film, using three media pieces. I wanted to tell my entire love story in three minutes that would be a little hard. Some interesting facts had to be cut, but I feel that I managed to keep the meat in the final product.

First was the ‘Torre Latino Americana” this is where I proposed to my wife. This was an interesting night full of uncertainty (as anyone who has proposed can relate to). To top it all off, my wife being the jokester she is thought it would be funny to initially say no to see how I would react. I have told this story many a time, but I never felt that I had been able to do it justice. But the night of the fireside chat I did. I realized this when Joshua O’Hare came up to me during half time and asked if that was a true story, did my wife really do that. When I said yes, he was incredulous and couldn’t understand why she would do that, how cruel. It was, but has come to be one of the most endearing attributes of my wife now.

The part that I couldn’t capture in the short time frame was the visa process we had to go through to allow my wife to travel the USA and marry me. I was sad because it was a crucial element to our story and the overall theme at the end. But there was no way to do the story justice in the time limit.

Lastly I wanted to tell how our love story is just beginning, because I believe that if a love story is lived right, it never ends. This is why I included the newest edition to my family in the piece. Plus you can’t beat that ‘awe so cute’ moment. I personally don’t believe or condone the saying, “they lived happily ever after” because I find that to be a very limiting phrase. There are plenty of other emotions in this world besides happiness that are central to a real love story. I would say “they lived ever after”, it is more open-ended and doesn’t limit them to simple happiness.

My overall theme was that ‘together we can do anything’. Because this is something I firmly believe. There is nothing that When we work together that we cannot achieve. I loved this piece (the fireside chat) because it really testified to an article we read in TMA 185 called Cosmos from Chaos. The writer really emphasizes how all art is a prayer, watching people perform, and open themselves up so literally through their media was the clearest demonstration of this principle.

Called to Serve (ERM's)

When we began talking David and I wanted to find a subject that we are both passionate about, without looking to far we realized we both had a connection the unrighteous stigma that is often associated with early release or non-missionaries.  As we approached this subject we knew maybe all to personally that this is a delicate subject, and one that often goes overlooked so it was important that the video was informative yet honest to the emotions. One of the videos that impacted our approach to this assignment was “Stoop Sitting” it was focused on normal people in a normal environment. We have all sat on a front porch before, and that is why we can all relate so well to it. We also wanted to semi satire the “I’m a Mormon” ad’s by adopting their style and approach to professing their faith.

Originally we wanted to interview UVU professor Kris Doty who has pioneered new research to the adverse effects of being an “Early Release Missionary” (heretofore referred to as ERM(‘s)) on young men. She clearly had a deeply personal connection and a scientifically rounded approach to the subject. Initially after reaching out to her she was eager to participate and we were very excited, however last minute obligations got in the way and she would not be able to participate before the deadline so we decided to take a new approach to the project.

David had been an early release missionary, before his mission he looked down on missionaries that returned early. Marshal finished his mission and often considered the missionaries that returned home early wimps with “not enough faith”. When his younger brother returned home early from his mission for mental health issues, he was stunned and his outlook changed overnight. Over time what David and Marshal had to come understand and what we wanted to members of the LDS church to understand is that the Lord issues the calling, whether it is two years, two months or a lifetime, as long as you serve to the best of your ability that is a “full time mission” and a worthy one.

We approached this film with a more personal tone and asked Marshal’s brother to be interviewed for the piece, he agreed. So we filmed him while he went for a hike to see the sunset (one of his favorite past times), and delved deeper into his emotions, his concerns and what he is doing to reform this unrighteous stigma and help future ERM’s. We initially had shot B-Roll of missionaries, the temple etc. but ultimately felt that the images distracted from the real message, which is the “worth of souls” in particular, Parkers. Arlene Goldbard said in our reading “If our higher purpose is to develop societies securely grounded in possibility, compassion and connection, our task is to collectively imagine these things. There is no more powerful way to do that than by making art that rehearses the future we wish to help into being”. We feel that we accomplished this by (1) letting Parker rehearse his mission, emotions and experiences (2) paint his image of a better society (3) testify to his belief in said future.

1. http://www.chron.com/news/article/Study-probes-impact-of-early-returned-missionaries-4983273.php

2. http://blogs.uvu.edu/newsroom/2013/10/30/uvu-study-reports-on-the-reasons-for-and-reactions-to-early-returned-missionaries/

Imagine There's No Countries

            I knew at the beginning of this project that I wanted to make a poster about immigration reform, however due to the fact that immigration is a topic that is currently in the limelight finding an issue within the subject was not easy. Especially since my ‘Textual Poaching’ assignment was involved in the subject of immigration reform, I knew that touching the same subject again was a hard sell. But I felt that I shouldn’t shy away from the challenge, or something in which I believe so profoundly.

            I explored a variety of issues within the immigration subject but most issues I felt did not meet the requirement of being ‘inadequately represented’. After reading a few articles (see links below) I found a thought that I struggled to remove from my head. This thought was the contradictory nature of walls and freedom, the fact that we are building and want to continue building bigger and “better” walls to keep people out. I thought about other famous walls, the first two walls I thought of was ‘The Great Wall of China’ and ‘The Berlin Wall’. Both actually were good options considering the violent history of the construction of China’s wall, and the liberty limiting history of Berlin’s. I decided that Berlin’s wall to be more poignant due to it’s youth in history, and it's relation to liberty. When I searched ‘berlin wall’ I discovered this comic that in turn became the inspiration and thesis for my poster.

The historic words of President Reagan when he cried out “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall!” rang in my ears as I conceptualized and designed my poster, I wanted to combine two images that would represent the similarities of the Berlin Wall and the U.S. Mexican Border Fence, that would bring together these two moments in history. This was the resulting piece.

After I showed it to my wife and uploaded it awaiting responses my wife mentioned that I was being singularly minded to the U.S. public by posting it solely in English. This reminded me of what Chimamanda Adiche spoke about in her presentation at TED, when she detailed how when she was growing up the only stories available to her where British stories or American stories. I realized the border wall isn’t a decision and an issue solely for Americans, but for Mexicans as well. There voice has been completely ignored on the issue, while the U.S. congress debates how much funding the project deserves. By only releasing my poster in English I too was playing to that tune. So I sat down for another short while and reproduced my poster in Spanish so that all Mexicans could contemplate it's message as well.

So with both of these posters released on my Facebook I bunkered down and waited for the debates to ensue… two days later, nada! I was disappointed and began to re-share the posters hoping to engage some kind of conversation. I didn’t achieve this until the very night that I sat down to write this blog. My friend wasn’t very aggressive but inquisitive about my perspective, by the end of the conversation it resulted in me saying “Freedom is a world without walls, it’s countries with no borders” to which he responded “So it’s a world without countries?” Bingo! This conversation was productive, and even though I wasn't successful in initiating a heated debate about how silly a border wall is, it was great to evolve my point of view by having a sincere conversation with another person. John Lennon said it best, "Imagine there's no countries, It isn't hard to do... Imagine all the people, Living life in peace... You may say that I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one, I hope someday you'll join us, And the world will be as one."

1.http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration

2.http://www.fairus.org/issues

3.http://www.no-border-wall.com/

4.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/washington/21fence.html?ref=borderfenceusmexico&_r=0

5.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall

6.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93United_States_barrier

7.Imagine- John Lennon